‘Schitt’s Creek’ Comes to the Happy Ending it Deserves

An era has come to an end with the sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek”. And what an era it has been. I’m not sure if I can live without hearing Moira Rose’s “honestlaaaaay” or Alexis’ grunts and sighs. But here we are. It’s over. But even though I’m sad to say goodbye to some fantastic characters, a huge piece of me is so content, because, unlike so many television shows, Dan and Eugene Levy decided to end the show before they ran it dry—and the result was powerful.

The reason people have a hard time with “Schitt’s Creek” is the same reason it is so powerful; the show opens up with some pretty selfish, shallow people, but they change. It’s slow, but they do change, and we live for moments like Moira giving Advil to her daughter when she was sick, Johnny partnering with Stevie with the motel or Alexis giving a new dress to Twyla. The changes are small, and some people cannot wait to see the Roses’ transformation, jumping ship before it lands. But just like any delicious meal, it takes time and patience to create something wonderful, and that entrée is served in the final season.

The characters we resented, then tolerated and finally admired come to that beautiful shore, transforming into something so good and normal, giving us all hope that we can all change, that we can all have a bright future, regardless of the cards we’ve been dealt. I mean, they are literally living out of a motel, broke and penniless. You cannot get much worse of a hand. But they do it, creating a bright future for themselves, and probably one of the brightest futures is one that might be the simplest: David Rose.

After receiving GLAAD awards and the thanks from well over a thousand mothers of queer youth, David and Patrick’s love story culminates to their long-awaited wedding—an event that both LGBTQ+ and straight people can celebrate. And we celebrate them, not because their story is so elaborate, but because it’s so simple. They love each other, they open an apothecary and they live in a tiny town. That’s it. But we love it.

“Schitt’s Creek” has the powerful ability to not just take the lofty and make them low, but to take the simple and make it magnificent.

Yes, each of the characters have powerful arcs; yes, as an audience member, you scream in excitement with the happy endings of each character, but for the most part, none of the futures seem extravagant. Mainly, the Roses have forsaken fame and fortune for happiness, but not before going through a gauntlet of hard choices, choices that are rewarded for doing the right thing. The result is not some make-believe happy ending that’s only possible in Hollywood, but a very normal happily-ever-after that inspires us all.

While it might take an illegal download or a cable subscription (but what college student has one of those these days?), “Schitt’s Creek” is well worth your time, and what else are you going to do with your time? Study for a final? Please. Binge it all. You’ll be happy you did.